This is an interview with Dr. Brian Hallgarth, MD, who is an Orthopedic Surgeon at The Everett Clinic. For a full biography of Dr. Hallgarth, please visit: http://brianhhallgarth.everettclinic.com/.

The difficult patients that I see for arthroscopic shoulder surgery are between the ages of about 45 and 65, and typically it is disease of the rotator cuff; in other words, the tendons around the shoulder. We all tend to wear our rotator cuffs out as we age. We have some great arthroscopic procedures to improve shoulder function as the rotator cuff wears out.

What typically happens after an arthroscopic shoulder surgery?

We certainly do reduce pain in the shoulder, and we are able to do the surgery over a fairly short period of time. They do not require the lengthy rehab that the older procedures required for the same result.

For more information on The Everett Clinic Orthopedics Department, please visit: http://www.everettclinic.com/Specialties/Orthopaedics.ashx?p=904.